Archaeology

Archaeology

The story beneath our feet

Over the years, archaeologists have excavated some of the rock foundations of dwellings that were the homes of the canal workers in Port Wallace (Shubie Park) during the Phase I building period of the Canal.

A number of interesting artifacts have been uncovered at camp ruins, as well as alongside the canal and even around the various locks. These artifacts are valuable as they help piece together a picture of how the people who built the canal worked and lived.

The restoration of Lock 5, in 1991, allowed research to be done, that defined the construction methods used on locks along the Shubenacadie Canal Waterway. This research illustrated how the locks were built and was carried out by professors and students of the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) before it merged with Dalhousie University, and the archaeological faculty at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.